Valmiki Jayanti: Scenes from Valmiki’s life!

Scenes from Valmiki’s life!

Maharishi Valmiki is celebrated as the harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayaṇa, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi (First Poet), for he invented shlokas, which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry. Valmiki Jayanti celebrates the birthday of the famous poet. Let’s take a look at some of the famous and inspiring legends from his life…

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How he became Valmiki

The Uttara Khanda tells the story of Valmiki's early life, as Ratnakar -a highway robber who used to rob people before killing them. Other versions name him Valya Meet. Robbing people who passed by was the only source of money for him. One day Narada Muni was passing by that way when he ran into Ratnakara, who insisted him to give everything he owns, from his clothing to the shoes he was wearing.

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How he became Valmiki

Narada asked Ratnakara why he was committing this sin. Ratnakara answered that this was the only way to provide food to his family. Narada, then, asked him if his family was also part of the sins that he was committing. Ratnakara tied Narada to a tree and went back home to find an answer. When Ratnakara asked his parents and wife if they were with him in the sins that he was doing, they replied that it was his job to take care of them, and that he was the only one responsible for his own sins.

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How he became Valmiki

Ratnakara then returned to Narad Muni and fell at his feet. He told him that he alone was responsible for the sins and asked him for help. Narada rejoiced at his transformation, lifted the robber to his feet and told him, " There is one name, the Taraka, which redeems even the greatest of sinners. Repeat the name with all your mind and soul in it. All your sins will be washed away soon." He then whispered in his ears the sacred name, "Rama" and asked Ratnakar to repeat it.

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How he became Valmiki

The whole of his life was spent in doing and saying only harsh things. So the robber could not utter the word "Rama" try as he might. But Narada was too kind to leave him so he tried another method. He slowly uttered the word "Ma ra" inverting the sacred name. This time the robber could pronounce the letters, "Ma ra" , Ma ra...." And he started repeating the letters in quick succession... "Ma ra, Ma ra, Ma... Ra.... Ma Ra...Ra...ma...Rama....Rama....Rama..."

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How he became Valmiki

Thus after a time without his realising it, the robber was repeating the Taraka nama. He was captivated by the charm of the sacred name and he went on repeating the name forgetting his surroundings. He sat on like that continuously without moving and without opening his eyes and years passed away. Seeing him sitting like an immovable stone, ants, worms and insects crawled fearlessly near him and on him and built their homes and nests.

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How he became Valmiki

The ant hills grew and grew until they covered him fully and he could not even be seen. Soon, an anthill grew around him. After a long penance, a divine light came upon him and said that he was free from all sins, and that he was to be called "Valmiki" from then (Valmiki meaning 'one who sits in an anthill' in Sanskrit).

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Birth of the first shloka

One day rishi Valmiki was going to the river Ganges for his daily ablutions. A disciple by the name Bharadvaja was carrying his clothes. On the way, they came across the Tamasa Stream. Looking at the stream, Valmiki said to his disciple, "Look, how clear is this water, like the mind of a good man! I will bathe here today." When he was looking for a suitable place to step into the stream, he saw a crane couple.

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Birth of the first shloka

Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy birds. Suddenly, hit by an arrow, the male bird died on the spot. Filled by sorrow, its mate screamed in agony and died of shock. Valmiki's heart melted at this pitiful sight. He angrily looked around to find out who had shot the bird and on seeing the hunter he cried out - मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः। यत्क्रौंचमिथुनादेकम् अवधीः काममोहितम्॥ (You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity, For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting)

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Birth of the first shloka

Emerging spontaneously from Valmiki's rage and grief, this was the first shloka in Sanskrit literature. Later Valmiki composed the entire Ramayaṇa with the blessings of Lord Brahma in the same meter that issued forth from him as the shloka. Thus this śloka is revered as the "first shloka" in Hindu literature. Valmiki is revered as the first poet, or Adi Kavi, and the Ramayaṇa, the first Kavya. The place where the sage composed the Ramayan is believed to be at Bithur, near Kanpur.

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Hanuman dumps his Ramayan to save Valmiki’s

Once Hanuman, the great devotee of Lord Rama thought of reading Valmiki’s Ramayan. He thoroughly enjoyed Valmiki’s supreme creation as Valmiki’s creation is treated at par with the Vedas. However, Hanuman thought there is further scope for elaboration. After all Rama’s character has infinite attributes as also his cosmic play (lila). Further elucidation is in the realm of possibilities. Hanuman decided to come up with his version of the Ramayana. After all he had first-hand knowledge of the events from the day he met Rama in the forest.

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Hanuman dumps his Ramayan to save Valmiki’s

Hanuman lost himself in creating his own version of Ramayana. He forgot food, water and sleep and wrote on the stones of the mountains. The word spread and reached Valmiki who got worried. He decided to visit Hanuman. Valmiki arrived at the mountain where Hunuman was busy writing. Hanuman was overjoyed to receive Valmiki and embraced the sage warmly.

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Hanuman dumps his Ramayan to save Valmiki’s

Hanuman took him around the huge mountain and showed the stones on which the beautiful shlokas were written. Valmiki went around patiently and read the complete Ramayana of Hanuman. It is said that it took Valmiki a thousand years to go through the massive work. The sage was visibly moved. He was full of praise for Hanuman, “But….” Valmiki could not say anything further, tears betraying his sentiments.

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Hanuman dumps his Ramayan to save Valmiki’s

“But what, my dear Sage. Please feel free to tell me….”,Hanuman said, unable to understand Valmiki’s true feelings. “But who will read my Ramayana now?” the sage said. It took a while for the whole purport of the sage’s word to sink in. Hanuman could see the point now. If the ‘Hanuman Ramayan’ became available, who will ever read anything written by other poets and devotees?

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Hanuman dumps his Ramayan to save Valmiki’s

Hanuman looked at the massive mountain and millions of stones in front him all holding his creations majestically. He quickly made up his mind. and uprooted the entire mountain containing his Ramayan and moved at lightning speed to the nearest ocean and sunk the mountain in the ocean.

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Valmiki's cameo in Ramayana

He is one of the first sages whose hermitage Ram visits along with Sita and Lakshman on his way to Chitrakoot after leaving Ayodhya. Valmiki welcomes them with love, affection and reverence and utters just one word 'asyatam' (be seated). Lord Rama asked Valmiki if he knew a good place where they could set up camp. Valmiki in turn gave a beautiful description of a pure devotee of the Lord and told Rama to always dwell in the heart of a devotee. The account is described in detail in Tulsidas’s Ramacharitamanasa.

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Valmiki's cameo in Ramayana

Ram's subjects, suspicious of Sita's faithfulness, forced him to banish Sita to the forest. Unbeknownst to Ram, Sita was pregnant. Overcome by grief, loneliness and despair, she knelt by a river next to an anthill, crying and distraught, intending to kill herself. From deep inside the anthill, Valmiki heard the tears of Sita and was touched. He was unable to remain stoic in his meditation and ignore her suffering. The walls of the large ant hill began to crumble and fall away, revealing the sage Valmiki, who asked Sita why she was so distraught and took her to his ashram.

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Valmiki's cameo in Ramayana

Valmiki was on the planet at the same time as Lord Rama. But before Rama enacted most of His pastimes Valmiki had already written about them, except for one - when Sita entered the earth. Why did he not write about this? Because he taught Rama's pastimes to Luv and Kush. If he would have told them in advance what happened to Sita, they would have been very disturbed. Just as Vyasadeva never preached Srimad Bhagavatam, but Sukadeva Gosvami later preached it all over the world, similarly, Valmiki Rsi taught Rama-lila to Luv and Kush.

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Yoga Vasistha

Yoga Vasistha is a Hindu spiritual text written by sage Valmiki. It is believed by some Hindus to answer all the questions that arise in the human mind, and can help one to attain Moksha. It recounts a discourse of sage Vasistha to Prince Rama, during a period when the latter is in a dejected state. The contents of Vasistha's teaching to Rama is associated with Advaita Vedanta, the illusory nature of the manifest world and the principle of non-duality.

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Yoga Vasistha

This is one of the longest texts in Sanskrit after the Mahabharata, and an important text of Yoga. It consists of about 32,000 shlokas, including numerous short stories and anecdotes used to help illustrate its content. In terms of Hindu mythology, the conversation in the Yoga Vasishta takes place chronologically before the Ramayana.

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Who told Valmiki the story of Sri Ramachandra?

One day Narada Maharshi met Valmiki and told him the entire story of Sri Ramachandra – Dasharatha’s putrakamesti yaga, Ramachandra’s birth, his education, his journey with Vishwamitra and his killing of Tataki, Subahu, his step-mother Kaikeyee’s order to go to forest, killing of Rakshaas there, missing of Seeta Devi, meeting of Hanumantha-Sugreeva, his journey to Lanka in search of Seeta Devi, killing of Ravana-Kumbakarna, and finally getting back to Ayodhya, ruling of the Kingdom, etc.

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Adi Ramayan by Valmiki

Of the seven kandas it is believed that Valmiki himself wrote Ayodhya, Aranya, Kishkindha, Sundara and Yuddha kandas, (second to five). The other two kands, first and seventh, Bal and Uttarakands, are not in the Adi Ramayan written by Valmiki; it is believed that they were written subsequently as Valmiki has been described as a Puranik personage in them.

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Celebrating Valmiki Jayanti

Valmiki gave to the Dravidians (or Bheels, native peoples of Bharat - India) divine and best knowledge to rise. He gave nectar to the dying army of Rama who came alive, re-alive Kusha when died during fight with the army of Rama. He has a heart full of mercy for the poor peoples even for the birds. This is known that in his ashram lion and deer drink in the same river together without any fear. Since ancient times he is worshipped as God.

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Celebrating Valmiki Jayanti

There are many Valmiki temples in India, Which are beautifully decorated with flowers and prayers are offered in them, number of incense being lighted fill the atmosphere with purity and happiness. Many devotees go to Lord Rama temples and recite verses from Ramayana in memory of Maharishi Valmiki.

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Celebrating Valmiki Jayanti

The story of Valmiki is meaningful. Valmiki is a great example of how people are uplifted by the company of good men. By coming into contact with Narada, he became a great sage, a Brahmarshi; and he also gave the 'Ramayana' which the world can never forget. Let us offer our salutations to that great sage and poet.